


Is This Karma?

by tea_notes



Category: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Developing Relationship, First Meetings, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Frequent battle scenes, Friends to Lovers, Gen, M/M, Mercenaries, Mystery, Origin Story, Pre game to game events, Slow Burn, hectic life of a normal dude and his magical boyfriend, long fic, part 1 of a long fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:14:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24438031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tea_notes/pseuds/tea_notes
Summary: This is a story about Keiss' pursuit of happiness. How real is karma? This is something the wayward Selkie constantly wonders about.  No matter what Keiss does, life always manages to sucker punch him whether he's happy or numb. Whether he works hard or takes a break, he seems to have bad luck. He doesn't like the concept of destiny, but he's tolerant of fate, and he just doesn't know what to believe in besides a magical clavat the world is afraid of. Sometimes he believes in him more than in himself. If karma is what you give it, why does this world always insist on being so rotten? Give him a bad wrap despite everyone saying how talented he is? How destined for supposed greatness he is? Karma just isn't tangible to him...
Relationships: Keiss/Layle
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

"Weatherin' this snowstorm is definitely not worth the pay! It's why I'm not a fan o' contracts."

When night fell, snow whipped through a forest path where a group of three men hiked. Fortunately, there was more than just an obscure road to follow; there were dimly lit railings designed to help the less skilled along. However, the structure wasn't invulnerable to the merciless weather howling through.

"Not a fan o’ contracts, huh?” The leader spoke up, a man in his early twenties and of average height. He wasn’t physically old by any means, but he carried the spirit of an old man with a youthful twist in his words. “Guess you're new to this and haven't been burned yet."  
  
"I'm not that new!" The complaining teenager barked from behind the accusing colleague. He was trying to keep his hood from blowing off, but balling his fist in anger made him stumble backward. After the wind hooked inside his clothes and dragged him through the slippery snow, he growled to hear the faint sounds of laughter a bit ahead of him. Perhaps they were not colleagues... but acquaintances. The men at least had the heart to stop walking until the teen could get up and push his way forward. "I have a few years!" He was the younger of the three. This male was half clavat and Lilty, and the biting cold was not kind to his plant-like genes; the last thing he needed now was more mockery.  
  
"Sounds like a year or two to me," The man continued to tease. His red eyes hidden in his hood held a glint in them. The harsh winds didn't bother him, neither messed with his experienced footing. He's been through these many times, and even _worse_ than this. "No one gloats about bein’ a merc. It's a job for the lost, worse the longer you go along with it." 

"Listen to Keiss, kid. Don't be like us," the eldest man laughed. He was bearded, gray, and old, but his body was still powerful enough to keep up with the competition. "And the fact you're takin' it so personally means you thought we could be friends? Hahaha! Cut loose while you can after this."  
  
Keiss and the older man shook their head at the growling response. Keiss ignored it for the most part, opting to turn forward and keep walking ahead, but not without one more piece of fruitless advice to give.

"If you wanna make a career outta this thing, only travel in groups if there's a bigger load than you can carry." All three of them lugged around pad locked deliveries, the security made the cargo even heavier. Keiss was smart to write his contract with 3 people in mind, it secured the pay he wanted and was appealing to tag-alongs. The key was to not be greedy, but comfortable. He had done this line of work since he was fifteen years old. Currently, he was twenty going on twenty-one in a few months from now.

Keiss had been scammed, he had been a minion, he had done unintended free labor... And he has also been hard-headed against experienced advice. He been through it all, and he wanted out... but that light at the end of the tunnel just still wasn't seen yet, so he continued to work and work.  
  
He also knew how to scan the immediate area beyond just what was ahead of him. The corner of his eyes caught something that made him turn and look to see an outline of a figure slumped over. He ignored the confused call of his name to hurriedly approach the presumed person. In any other circumstance, this could also be a scam, but the snow was caking up on the man who was leaned backward in unconsciousness. He slipped out a flashlight and put the investigative beam in their face; they were out alright. Maybe even dead.

"Oh, that guy's totally a goner, Keiss..."

"If you don't feel like waitin’ for me, just go on ahead. I'll be alright." Keiss flashed the light along the paled skin of the unknown man. His gloved hand checked blond hair that was starting to frost over. He kept the light on him and went into his own backpack to pull out a heating packet. He squeezed the mechanism to heat up, then he withdrew a thin blanket that reacted to this material. He swung it behind the fallen man to pull it over and in front of him like a cloak.

"Are you crazy?!" The youngest one cried out in confusion. That looked like perfectly good gear he was throwing on a dead body!

"Sometimes he's optimistic," the old man answered for Keiss.

"Go on, I told you!" He was focused now, and distractions only served to irritate.

"Hh--" A gasp came from the man. He was alive after all, although his eyes were closed and--

"Whoa," Keiss observed in surprise. There was a crystal in his right cheek. Still, he patted his head down so the others wouldn't be nosy about it or notice it.

"What? He's alive?"  
  
"Yeah he is." Keiss couldn't help but laugh some. It was always nice to see a miracle, let alone be a part of or be the reason for one. It was morbid curiosity to take off his glove and touch the turquoise rock with his palm, but he barely felt it. Just the pointed tip of the gem protruding out of the stranger's face, and the vestiges of warmth it had before the clavat turned away and down? "Did that hurt?"

No answer.  
  
Ah well. It was rude in hindsight. His glove went back on when he saw the clavat's hands were already gloved too, and bigger than his own hands. He moved the heat pack around his shoulders and then to his legs.  
  
"So, what's your name?"

"M'name...? Ah...Layle..."

"Hi, Layle. Been travelin’ wit’ anyone?" Keiss spoke to him like a natural paramedic. He really wanted to be one way back when, but he just couldn't afford the _right_ , not even when he practiced and practiced... Society just didn't care without the money to back it. Before he knew it, he'd kept up with the simplicity and danger of mercenary work.

The clavat mouthed what seemed to _almost_ be a yes, but then he uttered, "no." Maybe he was being chased. Keiss was a lip reader, and was confident Layle meant an honest answer to start...

"Okay, Layle. I'm gonna lift ya. Got anythin’ sharp?"  
  
"N-no." He had the energy to fuss some. His arm was heavy and shaky, but the male placed a hand sheepishly in his hair. "Y'don't... I got it..."  
  
"Don't worry 'bout it. Just please cooperate wit’ me." clavat people were easy going people, and this one was no exception. He was definitely a runner. It seemed like he had no belongings on him beside a waist pack; poor thing. clavats just seemed to be roughed up the minute they leave a farm. "Where are ya from, Layle?"  
  


"Kaffi...Kaffi Hills." He still sounded slow and tired, but he was impressively responsive to questions. Keiss assessed he was actually pretty short--typical of a clavat, but he did recall seeing _taller_ males. Layle's deep voice aside, maybe he was younger. He decided to lift him up into his arms rather than toss him over his shoulder or make him limp.

"Mind holdin’ the handle for me and draggin’ it?" Once the clavat had a grip on the luggage handle, Keiss went forward after zipping his bags up. "That coffee plantation, huh?"  
  
"Ah geeze...don't call it that." The clavat sounded defeated hearing 'plantation'.

"Ah, right, m'bad, Layle." Keiss saw that his workmates were gawking at him, but Keiss flipped his chin telling them to move it already, to leave him be. This was actually more motivating than yet another questionable delivery. 

"...It's more than that." The clavat in his arm began to speak once more. "Not sayin' you meant it bad... Anyways... What's your name?"

"'m Keiss."

"Huh..." It sounded like it rang a bell for the clavat. "Guess you're pretty strong." It did!

"Hahaha!! So, your name's like mine? What're you doin' wit’ a Selkie soundin' name? Are you half?"  
  
"I dunno---no," the clavat laughed some. "You're... the first selkie...:" It was still hard for Layle to fully speak, but he continued to put up the effort for his hero. "Pretty good...first impression, if ya ask me."  
  
"Huh," Keiss was amused by these turns of events. As much as the selkie people travel around, he hadn't seen one wander onto a farm? Not just that either... It almost felt like the delirious clavat was flirting with him. Maybe he was naturally just that charming? He wondered who this Layle could be. He had to have some bite to be all the way out here. To be a first good impression to the clueless clavat... Hah, so much for a man kicked out of a tight knit guild. He'll let this clavat find him cool at the least. "I'll hold ya to that if you remember me after some proper rest. But for now, don't conk out, we're almost there, y'hear?"  
  
"Aye aye. Heheh..." Laughter was contagious, it went back and forth. It was definitely odd for the men up front looking over their shoulders... "So...who're you, Keiss...?"

"Eh, I'mma merc."

"Ah dang..."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Keiss said once more. He knew once someone heard 'merc', it meant any and everything could be a payment, and in a way it was true. Keiss did charge as well as nickel and dime because of his skill and experience, but he also knew how to _just_ help people as well. This felt like one of those times. Clavats rarely had money as it was, and he... felt a surprising worry for this one.

"Okay..." A pause hung from Layle afterward. Keiss sensed that he must’ve wanted a favor. The silence was a 'never mind' to the worldly Selkie, but he held onto it for later. If the clavat stayed by him, surely it will come up again, or he would ask him with a good window of opportunity. "Uh," maybe now? "I'm really low on money, so you're gonna have to dump me somewhere." His speech improved... He healed fast, perhaps the crystal in his face was the cause?  
  
"Nah. I know a good nugget when I find one." It was the last bit of naivety Keiss had left in him. To trust someone... He trusted the clavat in his arms more than the other mercenaries with him. It showed in how he lowered his voice some to not be heard by mistake. "Anyway, I believe in sharing when you have it. You nearly froze to death; you can hang out with me for the night. Or the inn itself if that's more your thing. I know the keep, and she’s cool, she wouldn't leave someone to die. She’s a clavat lady, you'll be alright."

The smile he saw was more rewarding than a upfront lump sum.


	2. Chapter 2

Keiss was a light sleeper.

Whether within an inn or in the wilderness, he was always ready. It didn’t give him the best rest, but he adapted to deal with it. Tonight, he had kept still when the rescued clavat slip out of the cot and stood around in the middle of the dark room. Keiss’ back faced him as Layle just stood there as if he was thinking about something. He was barefooted, in his boxers, and in a borrowed shirt. The piece of clothing he leant Layle didn’t fit too well with his broad frame, but it was better than old wet clothes. No way the clavat would make a run for it like this, right? 

Seems not… He heard his feet pat against the floorboard that thankfully didn’t squeak. Layle was going for…the window? The clavat paused before he was completely in front of it, then he stuck his fingers between the hard white blinds and peaked at the moonlight. These were symptoms of a man on the run, alright. Keiss had seen this behavior from varying ‘bodyguard’ missions, and he himself was on the run himself every now and then, just thankfully not as of late. He patiently waited for Layle’s next move. The clavat continued to observe the outside… but after several moments, he let the shade go and then sat on the cot again with his back facing Keiss’ back.

Layle sighed.

The poor guy had no distractions… Keiss decided to turn over to see the back of his new roommate before speaking up.

“What’s up, Layle?”

“Huh—” He was so into his thoughts; he was caught by surprise. “Oh, did I wake ya?”

“Yeah, but it’s alright. Somethin’s troublin’ ya?” Keiss sat up just a little. He leaned on his elbow in sleepy support. He would rather be sleeping, but he could give a little kindness so often. He gave Layle time to muddle it over. He could see broad shoulders shift in the familiar motion of someone thoughtfully wringing their hands. _What’s chasin’ ya, man?_

“Heh, sorry… I’m thinkin’ on my next moves. Y’know… what to do, or how to do it.”

“Do what?”

“Ah… get outta here, more or less. No money, no weapons… Lil’ sense of directions.”

“Whose chasin’ ya?”

“Eh? Heh heh… Why’s it matter? I can’t pay you a cent.” Confirmation. Layle didn’t deny that he was chased. Instead, he worried about being able to pay. That was honest of him; not unexpected of clavat folk. Keiss could admire it, and the way _this_ clavat was trying to talk tough.

“Look,” Keiss sat up even more, although he didn’t feel like doing so. “…’m just passing through, y’know? Think of yourself like a leaf in my current. It’s no effort to push ya along where ya need t’go.” Layle turned to look at him. In the darkness, Keiss could faintly see an expression of surprise on his face. Outright disbelief; it was even in his body language some. This guy was no mooch, just clearly inexperienced. What life was he living up until that moment in the forest…? He had evidence of house rearing from a good family, and those type of families had some kind of wealth, even if a modest one, but he also had some trouble too. It intrigued the weary Selkie, but no matter who _anyone_ was, you never got the whole picture in one conversation.

Layle made it obvious he was taking Keiss’ words…not to heart (not yet), but was reading between the lines; he’s not completely naïve. Keiss leaned forward some, and the window filtered in the moonlight better at this angle in a way that he could see Layle more. Layle was…looking him over too, watched him move. Keiss was taking whatever clues he could get as he waited for an answer that may never come.

“…” So far none, but it wasn’t a rejection either. Layle had one leg on the floor, one leg on the cot, his arms were rested in his lap… Lukewarm.

“I guess it’s pretty far away.”

“Exactly.” Layle had given up a small smile for a moment, and it wasn’t a twitch. This clavat wasn’t completely naïve yet he still was, it was an interesting middle ground Keiss could sense in front of him. “And… I’ve been thinking, Keiss. I can’t just be a leaf in your current. Your shirt on my back is proof of that.” Smart too. Keiss straightened his posture so much, that he was able to cross his arms now. “I dunno… It says a lot, but it doesn’t add up either.” Layle tapped the crystal in his cheek before he said, “it’s useless.”

“Is it?” Keiss tempered his tone, tried to keep it neutral. He was a little off put to be accused of scheming after being so nice. It was a logical thought, but it was none the less offensive to the weary selkie. Perhaps he was making up too many ideas about this Layle….

“Yeah. It only heals me up real good, ‘s all it does. So, it’s not like you’ve struck gold or anything.”

“I figured y’could heal. Never seen anyone not be frost bitten or bounce back into whole conversations like y’have. Y’even alluded to me callin’ ya a nugget, that’s impressive.” Keiss tapped his own temple, a smirk present on his face. He wanted to tell him that’s an impressive set of powers, but he instead went another route. “Honestly, though. If I’m frank n’ rude, I took pity on ya.” He had an amused snort at the way Layle’s eyes fluttered before his handsome face transitioned into a pout. That’s exactly the thing that made him want to believe in this clavat; he did not behave like the shady men he was so tired of.

“Fair.” Big of him to even say that. Layle then paused, arms crossed, legs crossed in a particular sitting style. He thought for some time before he dug up a smirk from scraps of cheeky courage. “Sounds like you made yourself my bodyguard.”  
  
“Whoa now,” Keiss started, and waved his hand in between them. “Not a bodyguard.”  
  
“Hm. I can tag along, then? Not to mooch—just a way to get a swing of things.”  
  
“How?”  
  
“Uh.” He looked nervous about a simple ‘how’. His legs unraveled from the mischievous cross to being earthed to the floorboard. He no longer crossed his arms either, hands flat on his lap now. He was not… a good liar. Layle had hints of a how, but he did not wish to tell him, and upon watching the way he moved… Layle had no scars on him either. Inexperienced or secretive, and he can only handle so much of either from a tag along.

“Are you good at any weapon?”

“I can fire a great shot.” Said with confidence, and Keiss had a means for Layle to prove it in the morning.

“Okay, good enough.” Keiss leaned back on his pillows, but he was still facing Layle. He was really tired from the work of today, and Layle was quite heavy to carry to the inn _and_ up a set of stairs. Layle also had a lot of sudden energy, and Keiss’ eyes drifted to the crystal in his cheek as he thought about that. He said it healed… Maybe that’s why he had no scars. Keiss’ eyes then drifted up toward the ceiling before he asked, “Ya read?”  
  
“Yeah—thanks, but it’s kinda dark in here,” Layle chuckled.

“Can’t ya use your cheek as a night lamp?” Keiss suggested with a playful wink. He earned a laugh, and maybe some trust with the humor. “That a yes?” Ah, Layle nodded… Alright, he sat up once more and scooted out of bed. “I got one that’ll be too boring for tonight. It’s good for when we’re ridin’ in a chocobo carriage or somethin’. Tells you about famous places in the world, even the in-between to those places. Then I got-“  
  
“No wait, I can read that one!”  
  
“Y’sure?”  
  
“Yeah. So, you’re a researcher?”  
  
“I’m a merc I told you,” Keiss chuckled. He returned with the book in hand and gave it to the clavat, but he also had tape and a square of gauze.

“What I heard was that mercs aren’t well-read.”

“Well, I won’t deny that, but I could be biased for all you know.” Keiss winked before showing him the medical equipment. “One more thing.”

“Huh?”

“It’s a suggestion, so you don’t gotta take it, but… You should probably cover your cheek. Those fellas ain’t my buddies, and they like coin way more than I do.” He watched as Layle’s eyes shuffled through emotions. From surprise, to hurt, and finally neutrality. His broad fingers caressed his glowing stone that stuck out of his face. His hand reluctantly returned to his lap with a heavy pat to his leg. He clearly didn’t want to but… “I don’t think anything ‘bout you, Layle. That don’t mean others are the same.”  
  
“I know.” Layle quietly said. “I take your advice.” Keiss waited until he saw Layle close his eyes. He then carefully planted the medium sized gauze on his cheek and then taped it on securely.

“How ‘bout a bandaid across the nose, eh? Haha.” Laughter was good and contagious, even if the mirroring laughter was more somber than his.

“No thanks… “ Layle picked up his book—oh. He snorted. “So much for that.”

“Oh—just tape it back on later? I got plenty of that stuff, don’t worry ‘bout it.” Layle didn’t miss a beat with peeling the gauze off and letting his crystal glow in the dark and over the pages in the book. Keiss shook his head and sat across from him. He stretched himself like a cat would before swiftly fitting himself back into his own bed. He couldn’t help but to yawn either. The room was toasty, and his bed still held his warmth; perfect condition to sleep… But he couldn’t help but observe Layle seriously use his crystal like a night-light.

It was fascinating, and he couldn’t help but to look as his eyes slowly fell to a close.

When Keiss opened his eyes again, Layle was gone.


End file.
